


The Christmas Shopping Epiphany

by the_milky_way



Series: 25 Days of Buck and Eddie [4]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 25 Days of Fic, A little bit of Angst with the Fluff, Christmas Presents, Eddie Diaz Uses His Words, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Insecure Evan "Buck" Buckley, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Relationship Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Prompt Fic, Schmoop, Soft Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Soft Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, angsty fluff, prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:54:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27884101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_milky_way/pseuds/the_milky_way
Summary: Rushing through the mall like a headless chicken isn’t how Buck thought he’d spent his afternoon. But it’s two weeks before Christmas and he still doesn’t have the slightest idea what to get Eddie.or:How Buck realizes something through the act of Christmas shopping.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: 25 Days of Buck and Eddie [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036098
Comments: 43
Kudos: 342
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	The Christmas Shopping Epiphany

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt for day 4:
> 
> "Hug"
> 
> and
> 
> "Buck looking for a Christmas present for Eddie and realizing why it has been so hard to find the perfect one this time around."

Rushing through the mall like a headless chicken isn’t how Buck thought he’d spent his afternoon. But it’s two weeks before Christmas and he still doesn’t have the slightest idea what to get Eddie. It’s never been a problem before. But this year ideas just won’t come. Eddie already has everything he talked about getting during the year. He scoffed at Buck when Buck actually asked what Eddie wanted for Christmas. Went as far as to tell Buck not get him anything. 

But Buck can’t just not get him a present. Eddie is his best friend. Eddie is family. Eddie deserves good things. And Buck’s going to get him those things and make him feel good about it, too. Only, he still doesn’t know what to get. And maybe his way of trying to prise information out of Eddie was a little too forceful. Because earlier today Eddie actually told him to shut up, right in the middle of one of Buck’s monologues about his shopping plans. 

Okay, he might have been a bit too enthusiastic, but it stung nonetheless. He did shut up, abruptly enough that Eddie’s head snapped up a second later. Buck heard him apologize, didn’t look at him, though. Too self-conscious and unsure how to proceed. So he nodded in acknowledgement but didn’t dare to bring Christmas or presents up for the rest of the shift. He could see that Eddie felt sorry, and registered that Eddie tried to talk to him several times before finally giving up with a sad look and hunched shoulders. But the words lingered. Like these kinds always do with him. 

He has gotten better at judging which ones are to take at face value and which ones don’t mean anything. He knows Eddie was stressed about something. Buck also knows that Christmas presents, especially for himself, were the last thing on Eddie’s mind that moment. And still, being told to shut up, as if he’s still the immature boy instead of a grown man, hurts. If only a little but it does.

It’s been on Buck’s mind all day. Thoughts running circles around the question if he gets on Eddie’s nerves a lot more than the other man lets him know. Doubting his relationships with people isn’t anything new but it’s been a while since he did that connected to Eddie. It doesn’t keep him from trying to find the perfect present for his best friend, though.

He is sort of getting desperate. None of the shops offer any kind of inspiration or anything that Eddie might like or even want. It’s not like Buck is close to tears or anything but the mixture of lingering self-doubts and scrabbling for a clue towards the best present makes his head ache. He actually wants to just leave and let it be for the day.

He’s been hiding out in the accessory’s department of one of the bigger clothing stores for god knows what reason when he notices a somewhat distraught man about his age talking to the cashier. Buck knows exactly how that guy feels, because he’s in the same situation.

“Ma’am, I know it’s not your job but could you maybe give me a clue? An idea? A hint? I’m so damn lost. She won’t tell me. Says not to get her anything. But she’s my wife, for christ’s sake. I can’t not get her a Christmas present. Help a desperate husband out please. I’m losing my mind a little. And I love her so damn much, it has to be a really good present.”

Buck doesn’t wait around for the answer to that desperate plea because none of that could actually help him find anything for Eddie. When he steps outside he takes a deep breath and wonders what the hell he’s even doing here. This was stupid. And maybe Eddie was right telling him to shut up. Clearly, his ramblings about his shopping plans were for naught anyway. 

He is on his way back home when his phone chimes with a message notification. Buck checks it the second he parks in his spot and almost smiles before his skipping heart reminds him that things aren’t as smooth right now. Mainly due to his own fault. And even though it makes him swallow with regret, Buck begs off of a night at the Diaz home. Maybe he really should dial back a little, give Eddie a break. The sad emoji he gets as a reply almost makes him rethink everything. But only almost.

So he spends the night in his loft, watches a movie he can’t recall after the fact and goes back to browsing online shops in search of a good Christmas present for Eddie. He falls asleep with the search bar blank and his face pressed against the edge of the keyboard. He sleeps fitfully. Has dreams presenting him with options he can’t remember when he wakes up. 

The headache he felt coming in the store is still lingering the next morning, so he’s not at his best when Eddie stops him in front of the firehouse.

“Hey,” Eddies greets softly. Eyes uncertain but on Buck with a piercing focus.

“Morning,” Buck mumbles. He hasn’t had his coffee yet, seeing as he overslept a little after the rather restless night. He is tired and not really ready for any kind of meaningful conversation.

“You look… kind of beat.” Eddie’s voice is still so damn soft, so careful. And Buck’s not really sure how to take it. 

It wasn’t anything big what happened yesterday. It wasn’t the first time he was told to shut up and it sure as hell won’t be the last. So why Eddie is walking on eggshells around him right now, is a little beyond him. Eddie apologized, Buck vowed to be less over the top (if only to himself and silently), so everything should be good. 

“Just a weird night. Nothing bad.” He makes his way towards the lockers, Eddie by his side.

“Are we okay?” The question comes out quiet, unsure even and Buck’s taken aback a little. He doesn’t know what he did to warrant Eddie’s uncertainty. He only said no to one evening at Eddie's. It's not like he cancelled their friendship.

“What? Of course we are. Man, Eds, I’m sorry. I know I was a little too over the top with the whole shopping and present thing. It’s all good. Sorry that I got on your nerves. It’s okay.” Buck smiles at Eddie, then turns towards his locker. He hopes Eddie knows that he means those words. He is sorry that he pestered Eddie this much. Sometimes he just can’t help it with his enthusiasm. 

Buck's about to drag his locker door open when he’s unceremoniously spun around and pulled into an intense hug. He squawks a little and flails a bit before he manages to wrap his own arms around Eddie as well. 

“Christ, Buck. No, it’s not okay,” Eddie sighs against his neck, warm breath making him shiver a little. 

Eddie tightens the embrace as if afraid Buck might pull out of it. Buck has no plans doing such a thing, at least not right this second. He feels odd right where he is. The headache's begging off, Eddie's warmth is soaking through his shirt and he'd like to stay like this for a while if he can. So he lowers his head and rests against Eddie’s temple first before he lets it slide further down. The warmth of Eddie’s skin against his forehead settles something in Buck that has been anxious since yesterday. They are good. There’s no doubt about it. They just have to clear the air.

“I shouldn’t have told you to shut up. And I’m so damn sorry about that. It’s not an excuse but my parents have been pestering me about Christmas. Things sort of escalated yesterday.”

Oh. 

So maybe, this had nothing to do with him? This was Eddie being at his wits' end because of his parents?

“It... it was just the wrong moment for Christmas talk. And I'm so damn sorry that you got the brunt of it. It was unfair. I... I missed you last night.”

Eddie moves away little, not out of the embrace but far enough to be able to look into Buck’s eyes. The softness is still there, present in Eddie’s eyes. A small but hopeful smile is hovering just at the edge of Eddie's lips.

“Missed you, too.” Because yeah, if they are telling the truth right now, Buck’s not going to hide this one.

“I actually kinda like how enthusiastic you are about finding a present for me. It’s sort of… cute.”

Cute is not the word Buck expected. But it slides something into place, lets something click in is mind. Buck suddenly knows why he’s been a headless, clueless chicken for days now. It’s easy really. It also explains why Eddie’s words hurt a tick more than they usually would have. 

There, in the locker room at the firehouse, with his arms still wrapped around Eddie, Eddie’s arm around his waist and his hand on Buck's shoulder, Buck finally clues in to what should have been obvious to him for a while now. it hits him somewhat forcefully.

“Oh my god, I’m your desperate husband,” he blurts before he can stop himself. Eddie jerks in Buck's arms, looks at him with surprise written all over his face. And judging from the sputtering and choking sounds coming from right outside the locker room, Buck might have been a little too loud in his declaration.

And sure enough, when he dares a glance over Eddie’s shoulder, there’s Chim with a cup in his hand and trying to pat his soaked chest dry again. Oops.

“Come again?” 

Eddie doesn’t look angry or too put out by it all. There’s amusement shining through the look he gives Buck. Like he’s used to Buck’s random declarations and hoping for the thought process to make sense when the explanation follows. And Eddie hasn’t moved out of the semi-embrace they are still in. So there’s that. But Buck has absolutely no idea how to explain his epiphany. He also doesn’t really have time to freak out about it all. So he goes with what comes to mind first.

“See, at the mall, there was this guy. He was asking the cashier for ideas because he didn’t know what to get his wife. He was all desperate and sort of headless because he loves her so much. And...well.. That’s me. I… I mean with your present. Not that I am... Your husband… just, you know, same reason for wanting to get a really good present. And I’ll shut up now.”

This didn’t come out the way he wanted it to. He doesn’t even know if it was intelligible. Buck just hopes Eddie gets what he’s saying and that maybe, just maybe they are on the page here. 

The smile Eddie lets slip free is everything. It’s knowing. It’s soothing. It’s reassuring. It tells Buck everything he needs to know. It settles every fear he might have had.

“We are so going to talk about that. All of it. After shift. For now, just know that I’d really like having you as my desperate husband.”

The mumbled “jesus christ” from outside the locker room is ignored on mutual agreement. Also because Buck is sort of too stunned to react on anything but Eddie's words.

“Really? Yeah, okay… I mean, we’ll talk. And don’t think this will get you out of telling me what you want for Christm…” This time Buck’s shut up but warm lips pressing against his. It’s not really much of a kiss as it is a lingering peck. But it’s enough to have Buck smile and Eddie chuckle. 

“Deal. I’ll tell you. For now let’s get out of here so that we can actually start working and Chim can change.” With that he turns, grabs Buck’s arm and gently pushes him towards the door where Chim’s already waiting. 

“Yes! Thank you. It’s really fun watching you guys figuring it out and all but I’d be happier to do it in dry clothes.” The glare he sends Buck’s way is unjust. It’s not his fault that Chim’s unable to take a proper drink. That’s what Buck tells him, too. And then he flees upstairs, dragging Eddie with him and laughing gleefully at the outraged yell that follows them.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why but I don't like this very much. But I love the idea so there you go...
> 
> Thanks A.


End file.
